Thirteen on Thursday

Thirteen Things about Jenny 1…. 1. Loving the holidays with your family of four is easy. Enjoying it with your inlaws while family issues rear their ugly heads, it's a bit more of a challenge. 2. My son didn't make the soccer travel team. Well, he did but it's the 'we would've had to cut him and we didn't want to so we put him on another team where he'll hardly play' team. You know, I'm not sold on the whole idea...sometimes, kids just don't make the team. And that should be okay too. 3. wicked good slippers from Bean's? Are too comfy to remove. And thanks to outdoor soles...I don't have to. 4. Someone is celebrating a birthday today...and because of that she's taken the day off from the Thirteen on Thursday and has also given me only 12 things to think on. Thanks Running2Ks! 5. I got numbers 1,2,3,4 & 13 from last weeks Thirteen on Thursday as presents. And half of number 10. Half as in cobalt and tangerine. There was no plum to be found. 6. Speaking of fiestaware...the store people warned us about the dark cobalt getting all scratched up...has anyone had any fiestaware experience to share on the subject? 7. I also got this. Which I love. And because as a only child I actually made a library out of my own books for excitement (masking tape labels on the spines) so I smile whenever I see it. Thanks C. 8. The son has caught the Sudoku bug. 9. There are so many plans on the table for New Year's Eve I'm ready to just throw my hands in the air and say forget it. 10. Maybe I'll purchase #6 from last week's list and have a little marathon. 11. Remember yesterday...how the kids were behaving? Yeah, well today? Not so much. 12. So far I've spent my Christmas Eve with hockey folk and New Year's Day we've got ice time too. And on tap for February? A tournament. Scheduled for the weekend of our 10th anniversary. Really, we've made some good friends but that wasn't quite what I had in mind for the big 1-0. 13. I love MommaK's idea for Christmas next year. That's exactly what I mentioned at the dinner table the other night...a vacation, where it's warm and tropicalish. Sounds heavenly. Links to other Thursday Thirteens! 1. (leave your link in comments, I’ll add you here!)


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The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!

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And so it went. I can't believe it's already been three days. Christmas was perfectly enjoyable. Is 4:20 a.m. too early for peeking down the stairs to check on the stockings and milk & cookies? Apparently not, as the children were BOTH awake. They tried and tried to sleep again and only the girlie succeeded. For ten minutes. So up we were, carols playing in the background, welcoming the predawn hours with stockings and smiles.
Matching pajamas....how many more years will I be able to get away with this? Because forever would not be long enough. After the presents and the breakfast we laced up, invited the uncles and headed to the pond.

Christmas dinner was courtesy of my mother in law. Another gift exchange, where I got every gift I asked for...last year. Which made me happy, although not happy enough to leap into the air, unlike some of us....

Here is a boy celebrating the receipt of a gift from his very own Most Wanted List. Now I do not only get to listen to replays of pretend hockey goals from NHL 2006 but now I can also replay phony football games courtesy of Madden 2006. It is beyond me how he can figure these games out. I'm all about the instruction books. Probably why I suck.

Why do I feel like I've been shortchanged, that this school vacations isn't quite long enough? We are thoroughly enjoying our lazy mornings and game playing evenings. I'm not at all anxious to give it up. Until tomorrow, because maybe I'm a pessimist, but they've got to start arguing again sometime, right?

Hey - Only 15 hours till bedtime....

We started our day early. A hockey game and mimosas served rinkside.






See the ribs cooking? No? Huh.
The man ordering the ribs for us, he forgot them. And we are ribless. Unhappiness quelled by mimosas. All is well.




That's it for pictures. I've been busy, busy, busy and who wants photos of a messy kitchen which is pretty much all I saw for the rest of the day. Up until now. When I have time to breathe before the guests arrive. Off to light some candles, set up the beverage area and enjoy.

I hope you all have a joyous holiday. Filled with whatever makes you happiest. Merry Christmas.

Show and Tell - Jacket Edition

Black. Leather. A Hood. Big Pockets that hold mittens and gum and things. A lost zipper pull, which, for whatever reason, really bummed me out. Matches all of my winter scarves. All six of them (and *fingers crossed for number 4 from yesterday's list* maybe seven of them). Is that alot of winter scarves? Nah, I didn't think so either.

Thirteen on Thursday

Thirteen Things Jenny needs wants for Christmas 1. The Sims 2 for Gameboy 2. Wicked Good Slippers 3. A book thong 4. Red Sox Scarf 5. Gift Certificate to the paper store 6. Deadwood Season One on DVD 7. Marley and Me 8. The Year of Magical Thinking 9. The Video Ipod gizmo 10. Fiestaware in plum, tangerine, sunflower and cobalt 11. Red Sox tickets 12. A centerfielder, a left handed pitcher and a short stop. Oh, and for Rodney Harrison to make a complete and total recovery in the next two days. Because 10 points allowed in three games, well that's just too damn much. 13. Spongebob Game of Life Links to other Thursday Thirteens! 1. (leave your link in comments, I’ll add you here!)

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The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!

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Farewell Mr. Damon. I can't say that I blame you. The front office is Theo-less and Lucchino's still there. Mueller, Mirabelli and Edgah are gone, Manny and Wells want to go and Millar isn't long for Yawkey Way either. I never really cared for your media whorish ways, but your batting average, that I could appreciate. Your bald Dunkin' Donuts commercial wasn't all bad either, I guess.

But to the Yankees? Should I be surprised? Of course the Yankees. They take our men, stick them in pinstripes, cut their hair and give them millions. We take it personally when they go to the Yanks. Especially when they play wonderfully there. I wish I could say that I wish him well but really, I'd love to see his bat go cold in the Bronx.

A snippet from the Yankees' website:

Apparently, Damon's goals changed over the past eight months, as he told MLB.com in early May that money would not be the determining factor in his decision.

"There's no way I can go play for the Yankees, but I know they're going to come after me hard," he said on May 3. "It's definitely not the most important thing to go out there for the top dollar, which the Yankees are going to offer me. It's not what I need."

Um, yeah, sure.

Hey, Melissa...my husband would thank you for introducing me to Sudoku but he can't. Because he hasn't spoken a word all night, except for "1,3,6,2.... Wait. That can't go there. Damn." He has stolen my book.

All the presents are wrapped. Except for the Santa gifts. Because if they see them wrapped in the special paper pre-Christmas the jig will be up. And I don't want the jig to be up. Ever.


A closer look at Jenny's Christmas Eve Dinner Guests:

sister in law vs. jenny & husband of - stalemate. no recent discussion.

brother in law #1 vs. husband of jenny - v. new, he says he's mad that my husband laughed at him when he lost the texas hold 'em tournament. I say he's mad because my husband privately called him out on a very insensitive thing that he did, a totally and purposely ignorant thing.

brother in law #2 vs. entire family - is uncomfortable around his family because of his past and ongoing problems, keeps to self, v. sweet man but is haunted.

stepsister vs. stepfather - barely speaking.

father in law vs. jenny & husband of - thinks we totally jumped the gun when we approached my sister in law about the issues between her son and my kids, her son being his hands-down favorite grandchild. yikes, sound a mite bit bitter there...sorry 'bout that.

And they're all coming over for Christmas Eve. And you thought fireworks were only for the fourth of july.

Actually, I'm betting that we will all behave remarkably well, and now that I think about it, I'm just counting on the whole christmas spirit thing to see us through. Naive? I hope not, this is not the usual course for my family, so I'm unsure...but I remain optimistic.

Editors Note: My husband just gasped out loud at the whole Johnny Damon to the Yankees trade...he's a-liive.

things that are pleasing me

1. The fact that my dog eats only food ornaments off the tree. They may be old but at one point they were consumable. And not sentimental cork. Because then I would cry.

2. The hostess of the family christmas party called and told me NOT to dress up - to make sure I wear my Patriots jersey. um, YAAAAY!

3. a completed gingerbread house and christmas card list

4. dominic the donkey

5. the way my daughter squeezed my hand before she sat on santa's lap yesterday.

the Show and Tell

One favorite ornament? Are these girls kidding? That's like asking me to pick my favorite child. Nah, that one's easy...the daughter. I. am. Kidding. But at least SHE doesn't call me names.

A week or so ago I found a piece of yarn on the floor. Near the tree, looking like it was part of something but as I was unable to figure it out...I just threw it out and chalked it up to one of the random mini-messes that seem to pop up endlessly around here. A few days ago I found this
and it all just fell into place. The damn dog has been eating the old dough ornaments off the tree. This little one, with the string and the hook was in the shape of a dog bone and had his name painted on it. It was eight year old dough. With shellac. The other yarn belonged to another old piece of dough in a shape I cannot recall. Neither were favorites but I didn't exactly want them eaten either.

Some ornaments remind me of favorite places and things we've seen while visiting them

Others of my childhood
I actually remember making this when I was a student at the Raggedy Ann & Andy Preschool. This is much less scary than the santa I posted last week, but I love them equally.

And these posted for comparison purposes because they make me laugh everytime I unwrap them:




My macaroni tree
2nd grade
Mrs. Buckley's class








My son's macaroni tree
Kindergarten







I could blame the appearance of my tree on age but sadly that is not the case. It doesn't look much worse, save for a few missing noodles, than it did the day I brought it home. My boy and I always kid each other because he is clearly the master macaroni tree maker.

There are more, more that I didn't photograph because once I started looking - really looking - I found many favorites. The ones I painted the year the son was born, the wedding gift handblown glass (including the pickle), the wooden covered bridge, the puzzle piece snowflake. So many that mean something, that represent part of our lives. Thank you Deb, for making me look a little harder.

Thirteen on Thursday

Thirteen Things about YOUR NAME 1. "I'm going to grow up to be a murderer or in jail you guys are doing such a bad job of raising me." That little tidbit of wisdom from my boy. Who is still angry that he was punished for calling me a b*tch. Four days later. 2. My tree has stopped drinking water but remains green and isn't losing any needles. yet. My trees ALWAYS die 10 days or so before christmas whether we cut them down or buy one precut and shipped from Canada. Each day I check it and beg it to take a little sip. Yes, I talk to the tree. 3. I forgot to buy the teachers christmas presents. I'm thinking coffee gift cards and some homemade cookies. 4. We just got our first bill for the Cobra health insurance payment. Holymotherofgod. *adds Health Insurance to Christmas list* 5. I have not wrapped any gifts and I have only ONE christmas card written out. One. 6. The dog ate 3/4 of a loaf of white bread this morning. Why can I not remember to put the bread out of his reach? 7. I would love a weekend alone in this house to clean, clean, clean. Well, clean. Then a movie. Then clean some more. Then check my blogroll. Then clean a little bit. Order takeout. Then some more cleanup. Watch another movie, maybe? And sleep. And then enjoy my clean house. 8. I'm hosting a christmas eve get together for my parents and my husband's family (well, immediate family). I usually make a few lasagnas (as they are nice to prepare early and then just require baking while the guests are here) but this year I'm doing barbeque. 9. Pulled pork, homemade beans, cornbread, ribs. And a salad. Any other suggestions? Another vegetable maybe? 10. The whole christmas shopping/keeping secrets thing, my girlie is loving it. She's got a twinkle in her eye. 11. I've had something scratchy in my eye for the past three hours. Startin' to bug me. 12. I just started watching the sopranos, I know I'm like six years behind the curve here and this will be news to no one....but it's pretty good. 13. woot! another thursday thirteen complete! Links to other Thursday Thirteens! 1. (leave your link in comments, I’ll add you here!)


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The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!

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hey, did I mention I went to see the Chronicles of Narnia movie? No? Well. I did. We did, the foulmouthed son and I.

And it was good. Really good. If you have a chance...see it.

Oh, and to those of you who've read the sixth Harry Potter book and didn't discuss the ending out here in internetland...thank you.

Amazing Race review...
This season...it stunk. The finale was not much better. The funniest team won. But being funny didn't really make them likeable. Meh.

Tonight...Christmas Shopping. For one Yankee candle. Mostly just Chrismas walking, talking and laughing with a friend. I have some things to return...apparently Old Navy's idea of clothing sizes has little base in reality when it comes to my kids. Every single pair of pants runs way huge in the waist (those adjustable straps were cinched in to the seventh hole on each side - on the boys size 8 slim pants. Do they sell size 8 Slim-mer? No? Why the hell not?) and it's killing me.

I guess I'll start where I left off on Friday...The Show and Tell...She wants decorations? well, I'll give her decorations...I frighten my kids every Christmas season with this little fella.

This here is Santa. Very old, very handmade Santa made from the finest of egg carton, cotton ball and pipe cleaner. For reasons I cannot fathom, I treasure this little guy. Maybe it's the horrified looks on my kids faces when I gingerly unwrap him or the way they laugh behind my back when I tell them that "Ain't no one puttin' Special Santa on the tree but mumma." I'm embarrassed to admit I may have been seven or eight when I made this 'lil guy. But it gets better, well - if not better...less creepy anyway.

Here's my boxwood christmas tree:
This took like, fifteen minutes to put together. What?? It looks like it took fifteen minutes to put together?! Well. Fine then...
Here's my last entry:
He was two years old and in LOVE with Santa. He dressed as Santa for halloween, made Santa presents, talked about him endlessly. He was fascinated. And at the family Christmas Party, when Santa arrived he watched him quietly from the edge of all the scrambling kids and then finally got the courage to give him a hug. He would've stayed there forever. He looks so serious but he must've been so content.

Saturday...Hockey game (9-1-1 *woo-hoo for another win) and hockey christmas party. The Christmas party starts off with alot of the "Now, which one is your son??" and things like that and ends up with my husband trying my friend's WAY too small oscar the grouch t-shirt on and laughing so hard I literally fell over. The chicken refused to come out and show his hockey buddies tho..*ba-gawk*

Sunday - Christmas Cookies. With red silicone bakeware. And they were fucking perfect people. The silicone baking sheets got the clean bill of health from the chemist, who assured me of their safety with the caveat that he's "no expert on silicone". Dude, your a chemist, that's expert enough for me.

And today apparently I'm a bitch. Just ask my son. Hah. So I said to him "BITCH??? You think I'm a bitch...I'll show you bitch kid!" Not really. I actually just looked at him and told him he "had better NEVER say that again and we'll discuss the matter further when he gets home." And that was it. No raised voice even. He was worried, worried, worried. Heh. Serves him right. I did the whole, no TV no video games this week but am angling for one more thing, some sort of alterna-punishment...(like when I made him write five things he loves about me)...I'll have to think on it.

But wait....last night...Survivor. The beginning montage, dullsville. I hate the pay tribute to your fallen castaways thing too. But anyway. At the beginning of the year I was psyched to see Stephenie and Bobby Jon. Then all the hatin' started on poor Steph. And more often than not, I could see your points and I wasn't lovin' her like last season. But at the end? With Rafe, keeping Danni and not Lydia??? Dammit. Very noble. Very dumb. Would've rather seen Steph vs. Rafe in the jury. But Danni won. And bought lips.

I know I have posting to catch up on, pictures of decorations to post, survivor finales to bemoan. And I'm leaving for work in five minutes but...

My son has just called me an expletive and yet I am both very angry and very calm.

He should be very worried.

Thirteen on Thursday

Thirteen Things about Jenny 1. "Hey, I vacuumed your floors for you." 2. "Is it really so bad having me home?" 3. Supposed to go see Chronicles of Narnia with the son on Friday. 4. Supposed to get a good ole snowstorm on Friday. Effectively canceling our months of planning. Me? Not want snow? You know it must be serious. 5. My dog eats fish food by the can. Once, because we kept forgetting to put it out of reach, I had to buy fish food four days in a row. 6. I love this. Go ahead, give it a shake. 7. So they are now allowing scissors and screwdrivers on airplanes? Funny, when I flew out of Logan Airport almost two years ago now I walked on with a pair of scissors in my jacket pocket and a screwdriver in my purse. Totally absentmindedly as I was just bringing the scissors because the daughter could cut paper for a seriously long stretch of time at that age and the screwdriver in case I had to change the Pixter batteries mid-flight. I've always wondered that, if during those strict security times I boarded the plane with contraband, what were others bringing aboard? 8. My father in law had some concerns about my silicone baking sheets and chemicals leaching into my peanut butter cookies, which is precisely what she was worried about. My friend's husband is a chemist...I've sent him an email, I'm curious to see what he knows. 9. I just watched the Destiny's Child WeboughtallourgiftsatWalmart commercial. Yeah. Right. 10. I'm just getting around to reading the sixth Harry Potter. Very enjoyable. 11. I love sports talk and funny sports talk is even better. 12. I have seen half of two episodes of Sex in the City. I must be missing something...this was supposed to be GOOD tv? 13. I might sound a mite bit bitchy about my husband being home...and sometimes I may actually BE a mite bit bitchy about it all. I know....sometimes??? But for the most part I'm thinking it'll work out alright. Links to other Thursday Thirteens! 1. Jennifer's Thirteen 2. MommaK's Thirteen 3. Leanne's Thirteen 4. This Mom's Thirteen 5. Dawn's Thirteen 6. Texas Ivy's Thirteen 7. Colleen's Thirteen 8. Sallwood's Thirteen 9. LilyBleu's Thirteen 10. Squashed Toad's Thirteen 11. Running2K's Thirteen 12. Jen's Thirteen 13. Twisted Cindy's Thirteen 14. Rashbre's Thirteen


Get the Thursday Thirteen code here!


The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!

View More Thursday Thirteen Participants



That song by Counting Crows...A Long December? Could they add January and February and maybe the first two weeks of March into that somehow?

The husband was laid off this morning.

We live in a tough climate for outdoor workers and his company ususally lays off most of their workforce in November and December. We've been lucky, he's always been kept on through the winters. Maybe not so much lucky, as he's a good, dependable and loyal employee and that probably has more to do with it than luck.

Anyway, first time layoff and by 9:30 a.m. he was pacing. And only asked me 132,145 times what I was doing/going to do/wanting to do.

It's unemployment Thunderdome over here. Two will enter...One will leave. Or something like that.

Anyone need any heavy equipment work done? I know a great operator looking to fill his hours.

So then. There was no hangover to be had, which is always nice. But really I do type pretty poorly and if I don't correct my mistakes this would always look like drunk blogging.

This was our one weekend of leisure this month. And how did we spend it? Whaddya wanna do? Ida know...what do you want to do? Very productive. But somehow still enjoyable.

I made our Thanksgiving Dinner last night, strictly so that we can have turkey sandwiches and soup. Also, in the 'what I made this weekend' category: a wee christmas tree made from boxwood clippings. I was supposed to decorate it with popcorn and cranberries, but we watched Elf and the kids chomped down all of the popcorn. Maybe tonight.

We are on the verge of another confrontation with my sister-in-law about her lovely son. He's eight and because we are diligent parents and my father in law and sister in law think we are just persecuting him unfairly, well, let's just say things get a little awkward. And it's christmas. And nothing says christmas like familial awkwardness. And then, because of all of the uncomfortableness and tiredness from being diligent, I usually leave all the functions early...with the kids in tow, which they don't understand, so they hate. Super fun.

ergh.

But this morning. As I was at the esteemed coffee house I frequent (Dunkin' Donuts - the pink and orange is the only gig in town), which I don't really frequent...but let's not be picky here...anyway, a girl I work with. She was in front of me at the drive thru. And when I pulled up to the window, I found that she had paid for my bagel and hot chocolate. And so, with that, The family suckage faded into the background. Thank you, G.

And now I must go whip some five year old butt. At monopoly junior people. Sheesh.

okay. so it's not drunk blogging but very buszzed blogging.

christmas party tonight. for my work.

we sat on the LAME side of the room at first. Our entire tgable went home by 830 p.m. I tolk my husband compeltely made up styorie sabout everyone he didn't already knwo..

"see that older guy (like 70) dancing with that yourng girl?" I said. Well, then I told him that they were married and how the office was all surprised and amazed when they got hitched. Total lie. But the look on his face whas too funny...so I kept at it.

funny thing...this whole lack of spell check looks just like my typing when I'm sober. so for all you know I'm drunk blogging all the tiem.

I know, show and tell. Dudes the cameras downstaris and Id'have to download and stuff and it's late. Drunk sudoku anyone?

Thirteen on Thursday

Thirteen Things about Jenny 1. When I clicked over to MommaK I was taken aback by the fact that it's already Thursday. 2. I don't make many trips to Borders, mostly using Amazon and the library to support my habit. Last night, on a whim, my boy and I parked outside of Borders and walked through. His first time in as a real reader. His Christmas list grew by a mile. 3. My son's teacher had a baby this morning. My sister-in-law is pregnant and we recently watched an episode of Little House where Ma gets pregnant, has a baby and loses a baby (all in an hour). Hell-low. This is MAKING me discuss the baby thing with the kids. In very general terms of course, but still. 4. Okay Melissa. Thanks, Thanks alot. 5. True confession: I totally suck at this latest little game. But I'm just good enough to let it keep sucking me in. Just good enough being struggling mightily with the Easy puzzles. Struggling mightily with a big eraser. 6. I think I have finished up with the presents and have moved on to Phase II: gift certificates. 7. I have a thing for bags. Purses too, a little, but mostly bags. And this is what I'm ordering next. 8. In Bruins news, even though no one cares except my son, they traded away their team captain Joe Thornton. Wow. Even I don't care. Well, I care that there was a trade, just NOT that it was Thornton. 9. I am SO gearing up to be the Daisy Scout troop leader next year. I'm sure I'll be bitching about the whole responsibility by mid-year, but this year Stinks. Capital S even. Basically, they color. And have snack. What's with the need to serve snack at every kid's activity? It drives me bananas. 10. There are plans to put a Target in my town. Which if we can get the grocery selling one, like they have in Tuvalu, then I might get behind it. But the nearest Target is presently 10-15 minutes away. Is ten minutes too far to drive? Must it now be five minutes? Right now there are no grocery or big shopping stores in town (true value does NOT count) and only two street lights. I like it that way and don't mind hiking those ten minutes to civilization. 11. Speaking of targets I have welts on my legs from playing target goalie for my son this afternoon. 12. The son got his first report card...excellent all around with the exception of 'listening comprehension'. Hmmm. It wasn't a bad grade, just a grade that could be improved. Just like his 'listening comprehension' at home. At least he's consistent. More importantly he got the highest grade possible in Conduct. Phew. 13. I'm right down to the wire with three hours to go before this becomes a Friday Thirteen. And just like that...Done! Links to other Thursday Thirteens! 1. (leave your link in comments, I’ll add you here!)

Get the Thursday Thirteen code here!


The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!

View More Thursday Thirteen Participants